Residents weigh in on Orleans Levee District Police Easter Sunday safety measures

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Easter on the Lakefront has been a tradition for so many families, yet residents feel differently.

“The pans of cheese and macaroni that were just left out on picnic tables, and everything else that was left there,” said Director of West End Lakeshore Park Civic Association Charles Marsala.

“The worst I’ve ever seen with the dog food, debris, trash,” said Marvin Trauth.

However, with new safety measures put in place, Levee District Police Superintendent Joshua Rondeno says this year will be different.

Starting from West End Boulevard to the Seabrook Bridge, the eastbound lane of Lakeshore Drive will be open to traffic, while other lanes will be reserved for emergency vehicles.

“So that we’re not mixing the pedestrians with vehicular traffic unnecessarily. We don’t want gridlock traffic where we can’t get first responders there to be able to respond and deliver, you know, medical or other assistance to the public,” said Rodeno.

He explains they have been planning this for months. Nearby residents tell WGNO, they are happy their input was received.

“They were already starting in November of last year working on ways to get control. The other meetings have also been very effective, they have the numbers at their hand as to what they’ve done,” said Marsala.

For years, trash and noise have been the biggest complaints after easter Sunday. Rodeno says they’ve listened by adding more trashcans and noise-compliant signs.

“Very loud music, and it blares out, and it then overwhelms. Somebody is having a backyard barbecue, they can’t enjoy their backyard because the sound is coming over the levee, and it overwhelms what they’re doing in their backyard,” said Marsala.

“Cleaning the restrooms and thoughtfully cutting the grass and flipping the trash cans throughout the day is all designed around a family-friendly environment to have a safe and prosperous holiday,” said Rondeno.

Marvin Trauth says he is optimistic about how Easter Sunday will go.

“I think that’s a great precaution to stop what happened. I think one of the big problems is they didn’t have enough trash receptacles out. There are enough people, you know, police presence. Which I think in the last couple of years it has been a lot better,” said Trauth.

A total of 80 officers from different agencies will be on standby in case of an emergency.

Celebrants are asked to remember that ATVs and dirt bikes will not be allowed. Cars with no insurance or expired brake tags will also be stopped.

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